The Beatles sang, “All you need is Love.” A frequent response is, “If only it were that simple.” Guess what? It is that simple! That is, if you know where to look.

Most people are looking for Love in all the wrong places. If you are feeling a lack of any quality of Loving, you are likely still stuck in the trap of looking ‘out there’. Let’s take the quality of acknowledgement; if you are still seeking others to acknowledge you, you will go through your entire life feeling unacknowledged. Yuck. Who wants to settle for that?!

Acknowledgement is a basic need as a form of Love-energy, yet if you were a child who was ignored frequently, you were likely starved for acknowledgement. You may have felt invisible, like you just needed someone to notice or acknowledge your very existence. Or maybe you were attempting to get your talents or accomplishments acknowledged. Possibly you just wanted to be acknowledged for how hard you were trying.

How many people have you seen suffering needlessly because they feel unacknowledged on a regular basis? Think of the woman from the volunteer committee who derails the meeting due to her overwhelming need to feel acknowledged for all of her efforts. Then there’s the man who sits at the bar, grabbing onto any ear that will stop to listen about his past accomplishments, his ‘glory days’. For some people, the lack of acknowledgement feels like a black hole, a void that can never be filled. For others, it is a small, nagging need that simply flairs up once in a while and is quickly shushed or negated.

Whatever the level or reason, seeking acknowledgement from without is like chasing a carrot around a race track – no matter how fast you run, the carrot is always just a few yards out of reach. Talk about exhausting.

The good news is that you can let go of chasing acknowledgement right here and right now, simply by claiming your true source of acknowledgment – yourself.

You have access to an infinite supply of acknowledgement inside of yourself. The benefits of feeding yourself are enormous. You will instantly feel fulfilled the moment you acknowledge yourself. You can tell yourself exactly what you most need or want to hear; no one else could possibly give you that.

Is your need for acknowledgement fulfilled? If not, claim it! All you have to do is say inside of yourself, “I acknowledge myself for ______.” Then fill in the blank. The best part is that self-acknowledgement is an elixir that can be instantly mixed to appeal to your individual taste, depending upon your need, the circumstance and the amount of internal support you require. Plus, it tastes much better than the unattainable carrot.

Many Blessings of Joy and Vibrant Freedom!

Action Step ~ Let go of chasing acknowledgement and claim it from within. Declaration: “I acknowledge myself.”

Additional Support: Listen to this audio on Self-acknowledgement. This is a 5-minute closed-eye process; please refrain from driving while listening.